Improvement in thill-couplings



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo JAMES C. BARRETT, OF CANAAN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF HIS RIGHT TO ALPHEUS E. COWL, OF PATTERSON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN THlLL-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,497,n dated November 11, 1873; application led October 27, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. BARRETT, of New Canaan, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and `use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this speciflcation.

This invention relates to that class of thillcouplings in which the thill or pole iron is 4hereinafter more particularly-described mechanism for taking up any lost motion in the joint between the clip and the thill-iron, to prevent rattlingy at these joints when the carriage or wagon is in motion.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved coupling, showing the thill-iron hanging down, in position to allow the raised latch to lock it to the clip. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the parts locked together. Fig. 3 is a plan viewof the same. Fig. 4 is a section on line x x of Fig. 3.

The same letters of reference are used in all the figures in the designation of identical parts.

The clip A, to be properly secured to the front axle of a carriage or wagon, terminates at its forward end in an upturned hook, A'. A loop is formed upon the outer end of the `thill-iron B, the cylindrical cross-bar B' of a follower, D, intended to so regulate the opening or space between it and the back of the hook A' that the curved finger of the latch will exactly iill it when when the cross-bar B' draws on the hook, and prevent any play, and consequent rattling. The follower can be readily adjusted as to position by the setscrew E. i

The curved nger of the latch is made tapering in thickness, and in such a manner pivoted to theclip that` it will readily drop over the hook A' into the space between the same and the follower D `when the thill is turned down, so as to throw the thill-iron into about the inclination shown in Fig. l, and, on turning the thill-iron up into the position shown in Fig. 2, become itself locked between the hook and the follower. A cam, C?, is formed on the under side of the latch C, which serves to force cross-bar B' up into close contact with hook A', and thus acts as an additional guard against rattling in the joint.

On raising the latch, the thill or tongue can be easily detached by raising it to a moderate angle.

A recess is formed in the back of the` hook A', in the example illustrated, into which the curved finger of the latchA drops, so that the exterior surface of the latter will be flush with the back of the hook when the parts are duly connected and locked together. y

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of the hook A' and the loop of the thill-iron, with the latch C C1,

which becomes itself automatically locked, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the latch C C1 provided with a cam, C2, the hook A', and the cross-bar B' of the loop of the thill-iron, substantially as speciiied.

3. The combination of the hook A', the loop of the thill-iron, latch C C1, and the adjustable follower D, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of September, 1873.

JAMES C. BARRETT.

1Witnesses H. V. BROWN, SETE COLE. 

